TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — CPC Corp. and Taipower have strengthened measures to ensure stable oil and energy supplies and maintain industrial safety during the Lunar New Year holiday, CNA reported.
On Monday, Economics Minister Kung Ming-hsin (龔明鑫) visited CPC’s Kaohsiung refinery in Xiaogang District and Taipower’s electricity dispatch center in the city. He said the two facilities will maintain shifts during the holiday period and stressed the importance of following safety measures.
The ministry noted the refinery is Taiwan’s main hub for supplying and shipping petroleum products and raw materials for the petrochemical sector. It can process about 360,000 barrels of crude oil daily and produces low-sulfur gasoline, diesel, and fuel oil.
Kung said the refinery has introduced smart technologies to improve production efficiency and reduce workplace risks. The facility has adopted AI-powered systems to optimize operations and detect motor current irregularities, helping prevent unexpected shutdowns.
CPC said it has worked with research institutes to develop an AI-driven system to detect and locate leaks in underground pipelines. The system can detect pipeline leaks in under two minutes.
The company added that it has used drones to help inspect solar power systems. After capturing images, the drones use image recognition technology to identify potential issues with the panels. This year, the UAV inspections will be expanded to CPC’s rooftop and ground-based solar installations.
During the visit to Taipower’s power dispatch center in Kaohsiung, Kung praised the company’s efforts to strengthen power grid resilience. The ministry said that it has supported Taipower with subsidies for adding green energy storage, replacing aging transformers and lines, building regional grids, and adopting AI technology.
To reduce the impact of typhoons and other extreme weather, Taipower has promoted burying power lines underground and reinforcing utility poles — a need highlighted when Typhoon Danas toppled nearly 2,500 poles and three high-voltage towers in July 2025, leaving almost one million households without power.
